Liquid aeration device

Abstract

A liquid aeration device includes a head box having a bottom wall, a pair of spaced side walls interconnected with the bottom wall, and a pair of spaced transverse walls interconnected with the side and bottom walls to form a receiver chamber into which liquid to be aerated is fed and from which such liquid passes through orifice means formed in one transverse wall of the head box from whence the liquid by free fall passes through an entry chamber and enters a vertically disposed downcomer conduit interconnected at its bottom with a pressure chamber to which a vertically disposed riser conduit is also connected. A third transverse wall is interconnected with the side walls and spaced downstream somewhat from the transverse wall in which the orifice means is formed and since the head box is of the open top type, an excess of liquid which overflows the transverse wall having the orifice means is allowed to overflow the third transverse wall and to fall by free fall downwardly through the space adjacent the upper end of the riser conduit. If desired a second or more phases may be used and which would include the above described components.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A liquid aeration device comprising an open top head box having a bottom, a pair of spaced side walls interconnected with said bottom, and a pair of spaced transverse walls interconnected with said side walls and said bottom to form a receiver chamber, means associated with said receiver chamber for supplying liquid thereto to be aerated, at least one orifice formed in one transverse wall of said head box through which liquid flows at high velocity and which reduces the liquid pressure so as to effect aeration of the liquid directly from atmosphere, a vertically disposed downcomer conduit arranged with its upper end at a level somewhat below and downstream from said orifice for receiving free falling liquid flowing through said orifice, a gastight pressure chamber interconnected with the lower end of said downcomer conduit, and having only a vertically disposed riser conduit having its lower end interconnected with said pressure chamber and arranged with its upper end at a level below the upper end of said downcomer conduit for discharging aerated liquid, and said vertically disposed riser conduit being connected to the top of said pressure chamber and extending into said pressure chamber below the liquid level therein. 
     
     
       2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of said orifice is somewhat greater than the cross-sectional area of the inside of said downcomer conduit. 
     
     
       3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of said downcomer conduit is such that the downward velocity of liquid therein is at least as great as the velocity at which air bubbles tend to rise in said downcomer conduit. 
     
     
       4. A device according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of orifices are formed in said one transverse wall of said head box and wherein the total cross-sectional area thereof is somewhat greater than the cross-sectional area of the inside of said downcomer conduit. 
     
     
       5. A device according to claim 1 wherein a third transverse wall is interconnected with said walls and is disposed downstream from said one wall of said head box to form an entry chamber immediately above and in communication with the upper end of said downcomer conduit and to accommodate overflow of liquid whenever the rate at which liquid flows into said receiver chamber is greater than the rate at which liquid flows downwardly through said downcomer conduit. 
     
     
       6. A device according to claim 5 wherein a pair of downwardly inclined bottom panels are interconnected with said side walls respectively to form portions of the bottom of said entry chamber on opposite sides of the upper end of said downcomer conduit. 
     
     
       7. A device according to claim 1 wherein a second bottom wall is interconnected with said side walls at the level of the upper end of said riser conduit and wherein a fourth transverse wall is interconnected with said second bottom wall and with said side walls to form a second receiver chamber which is in communication with the upper end of said riser conduit and wherein orifice means is formed in said fourth transverse wall. 
     
     
       8. A device according to claim 7 wherein a second vertically disposed downcomer conduit is arranged with its upper end at a level below and downstream from said orifice means for receiving liquid flowing therethrough, a second pressure chamber is interconnected with the lower end of said second downcomer conduit, and a second vertically disposed riser conduit is interconnected at its lower end with said second pressure chamber and arranged with its upper end at a level below the upper end of said second downcomer conduit for discharging aerated liquid. 
     
     
       9. A device according to claim 8 wherein a fifth transverse wall is interconnected with said side walls to form a second entry chamber above and in communication with said second downcomer conduit and disposed downstream from said fourth transverse wall and to accommodate overflow of liquid from said orifice means which is in excess of that which flows downwardly through said second downcomer conduit. 
     
     
       10. A device according to claim 8 wherein said pressure chambers are comparable in size and wherein the lower ends of said downcomer and riser conduits extend through openings in the top walls of the associated pressure chambers respectively. 
     
     
       11. A device according to claim 8 wherein a third bottom wall is disposed at the level of the upper end of said second riser conduit and interconnected with said side walls and with said fifth transverse wall and having an opening through which the upper end of said second riser conduit extends to form a third receiver chamber, and wherein an outlet is formed in said third receiver chamber through which aerated liquid is discharged from the aeration device. 
     
     
       12. A device according to claim 1 wherein the lower ends of said downcomer and riser conduits are below the top of said pressure chamber so as to trap air in the upper portion of said pressure chamber.